Rotary engine.



W. L. RIPSOM.

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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 27,1911. 1,015,979, Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

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W. L. RIPSOM.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATIONPILBD JUNE 27, 1911.

Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

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[N VEN T 0R. L .zyolrc A ITUKNE! W. L. RIPsoM.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1911. 4

Patented Ja11.30, 1912.

0 1 iil ULUMBM PMNDGRAPH cu., wAsmNa-ron n c WILLIAM L. RIPSOIVI, OFDENVER, COLORADO.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27. 1911.

Patented Jan. 30,1912.A serial No. 635,608.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, YVILLIAM L. Rirson, acitizen of the United States of America, residingl at Denver, in thecounty of Deliver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines of the type shownand described in theUnited States Letters-Patent ,Ji-860,060, issued tome on the th day of July 1907, and its object resides in the provisionof certain details of construction which will increase the efliciency ofthe engine and simplify its construction.

In the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like partsare similarly designated, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of theimproved engine, Fig. 2, a section taken along the line 2N2, Fig. 1,Fig. 3, a central, vertical section taken along the line 3 3, Fig. 2,Fig. 4, an elevation partly in sect-ion of the reversing mechanism, asshown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5, a horizont-al. sect-ion taken along theline 5 5, Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by numerical reference characters, the numeral2 designates a shell or housing the cylindrical bore of which is closedat its open ends by means of heads 3 and 3a. The shell is provided inits upper portion with a `flanged steam inlet et which by means of ducts5 formedv in the head 3a, and passages 6 formed in the cir-4cumferential Wall of the housing, is brought in communication with fourports 7, 8, 9 and 10, which open into the interior of the shell atopposite side of and in close proximity to the horizontal plane passingthrough its axis. Disposed in the said plane, are the abutments 12 whichare slidably fitted in pairs, in chests 13 formed integral with thecasing at diametrically opposite points. The chests are closed at theirouter ends by means of caps 14 which are provided with openings 15 forthe attachment of conduits through which steam or other motive Huid isint-roduced into the interior of the chests for the purpose ofconstantly maintaining the abutments in engagement with the workingfaces of the rotor 23, the construction of which will hereinafter bedescribed.

The flow of steam through the passages 6 to the respective ports iscontrolled by means of rotary valves 16, 17, 1S and 19 which are fittedin chambers 2O formed at quadrant vpoints in the casing by cylindricalenlargements of the passages 6. Each of the valves has an axial bore 21which is open at one of its ends and which communicates with a radialslot 22 the width of which corresponds with .that of the passages 6, itbeing the object of this construction to exhaust the spent fluid fromt-he interior of the shell through the open ends of the valves whentheir slots 22 are brought in register with the orifices of the passages6 in the respec# tive chambers 20.

The rotor 23 above referred to is composed of two complemental partswhich are fastened together by means of bolts 24 and it is mounted upona shaft 25 which is rotatably supported in bearings 26 formed integralwith the heads 3 and 3a. The cylind rical rotor which is 'fitted withinthe casing 2 has in its circumferential surface four pockets 2T whichare separated at quadrant points in the said surface and which arearranged alternately at opposite sides of a vertical plane passingthrough the center of the rotor. The pockets 27 provide impact faces 28upon which the steam introduced into the interior of the casing,impinges to impart a rotary motion to the rotor. Packing strips 29applied at the divisional points in the circumferential surface of therotor and in the vertical faces of the same between its axis and thepockets 27, are provided to the usual purpose.

The rotary valves, are in the operation of the engine, adjusted so thattwo diagonally opposite ones will at determinate periods admit steam tothe respective ports in the housings, while those comprised in the otherpair will exhaustthe spent fluid through their open-ended bores. Anadjustment is provided to reverse the relative positions of the twopairs of valves when it is desired to run the engine in the oppositedirection and a mechanism operatively connected with the shaft 25 isdesigned to impart an oscillatory motion to the valves for the purposeof alternately opening and closing the communica tion between the inlet4 and the ports in the casing through which steam is admitted into thepockets of the rotor 23.

The valve operating mechanism which is best shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, consists of a gear wheel 30 which is fixed upon a reducedextension 25a of the shaft 25 to transmit the rotary movement thereof toa pinion 31. A pitman 32 connects the pinion with a. disk 33 formedintegral with a sleeve 34 which is loosely mounted upon the extension25L and which is held against longitudinal displacement by means of acollar 42. A second sleeve 35 which surrounds the sleeve 34 has anintegral head 36 provided with concentric slots 38 adjacent the disk 33,and bolts 37 screwed into the latter, engage opposite ends of the saidslots to compel the head 36 to move in unison with the disk during theoscillatory movement imparted thereto by its connection with the pinion31. Thel valves 16, 17, 18 and 19 carry at the protruding ends of theirstems, 21.a cranks 39 which by means of rods 40 are connected in pairswith the head 36 at diametrically opposite points thereof. The rods 4()are each composed of two members connected by turn buckles 41 whichprovide ready means for adjusting the position of the valves withrelation to the orifices of the passages 6 in their chambers, by varyingthe length of the respective rods. The sleeve 34 on the disk 33 has anexternal screw thread which is operatively engaged by a` correspondinginternal thread on a bushing 43 which is longitudinally slidably securedin a` recess of the sleeve 35 by means of a key 43'LL and which isprovided with a circumferentially grooved head for the application of areversing lever 44.

lVhen the parts are in the position shown in the drawings, thediagonally opposite valves 16 and 19 are positioned to alternately openand close the respective passages 6 which connect the ports 7 and 10with the supply of motive fluid and the other pair 0f valves 17 and 18are in the position in which their radial slots 22 are in register withthe passages connecting with the ports 8 and 9 to exhaust the fluid fromthe interior of the casing through the open ends of their bores 21.During the rotary motion of the rotor, the gearwheel 30 imparts a rotarymovement to the pinion 31 and this movement is by means of the pitman32, converted into an oscillatory movement of the disk 33 and thetherewith connected head. rlhe movement of the latter is through theinstrumentality of the rods 40, transmitted to the different valves andit will be observed that while the valves 16 and 19 are rotated throughan arc of suffcient length to alternately open and close the orifice ofthe passages 6 leading to the ports 7 and 10, the movement of the valves17 and 18 is so little that their radial slots 22 will remaincontinuously in register with the passages 6 which connect with theports 8 and 9. To reverse the engine it is but necessary to change theposition of the head 36 so as to bring the opposite ends of the slots 38in Contact with the bolts 37, which reverses the positions of the valvesso that the steam will be admitted past the valves 17 and 18 while it isexhausted through the bores of the valves 16 and 19. This result isreadily accomplished by moving the bushing 43 longitudinally in therecess of the sleeve 35 by manipulation of the lever 44, which imparts arotary motion to the said sleeve and the therewith integral head 36.

Assuming that the rotor 23 moves in the direction of the arrow in Fig.3, the valves 16 and 19 will open to admit steam to the ports 7 and 10as soon as the points of division between the pockets 27, which in theposition shown in the drawings are in engagement with the abutments 12,have passed the same. The steam entering the pockets of the rotorimpinges upon thev impact faces 28 and by reaction upon the abutments 12which are constantly maintained in contact with said faces by the steamintroduced into the chests 13, causes the rotor to revolve about itsaxis. Before the rotor has completed a quarter of a revolution thevalves 16 and 19, are, by the action, of the oscillating disk 33, movedto cut olf the steam supply through the respective passages 6 and thesteam contained in the pockets 'will thus act upon the working facesthereof by expansion until by further movew ment of the rotor, the saidpockets are brought in communication with the ports 8 and 9 throughwhich the steam is eX- hausted while the pockets at the opposite sidesof the rotor are at the same time brought in connection with theadmission ports 7 and 10.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters-Patentis 1. 1n a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, rotary valves disposed to control the flow of fluid through thesaid passages, a rotor fitted in said casing and having peripheralpockets formed with faces to receive thc impact of flu id entering theeasing through its ports.v means for con verting the rotary movement ofthe rotor into an oscillatory movement of the said valves, abutmentsslidable in the chests and adapted to enter the pockets in the rotor,and means for the introduction of steam into the chests to drive theabutments in engagement with the rotor, the said valves beingalternately arranged. to admit fluid into the casing and to exhaustspent fluid from the same.

2. ln a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said. ports separately with the saidinlet, rotary valves disposed to control the flow of fluid through thesaid passages, ay rotor fitted in said casing and having peripheralpockets formed with faces to receive the impact of fluid entering thecasing through its ports, abutments slidable in the chests and adaptedto enter the pockets in the rotor, and means for the introduction ofsteam into the chests, to drive the abutments into engagement with therotor, the said valves being alternately arranged to admit fluid intothe casing and to exhaust spent fluid from the same.

3. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet formotive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, a rotor fitted in the said casing and having peripheral pocketsformed with faces to receive the impact of fluid entering the casingthrough its ports, abutments slidable in the chests and adapted to enterthe pockets in the rotor, rotaryvalves disposed to control the flow offluid through the said passages and each provided with a peripheral slotin communication with the atmosphere, and means for converting therotary movement of the rotor into an oscillatory movement of the valves,the said valves being arranged with relation to the orifices of therespective passages alternately to admit fluid to the ports with whichthe latter are connected, and to exhaust fluid from the casing throughtheir peripheral slots.

et. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for mot-ive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, a rotor fitted in the said casing and havingperipheral pocketsformed with faces to receive the impact of Huid entering the casingthrough its ports, abutments slidable in the chests and adapted to enterthe pockets in the rotor, rotary valves disposed to control the flow ofliquid through the said passages and each provided with a bore open atone of its ends and a radial slot connected with said bore and adaptedto register with the orifice of the respective passages, and means forconverting the rotary movement of the rotor into an oscillatory movementof the valves, the said valves being disposed with relation to theorifices of the respective passages, alternately to admit fluid to theports witl7 which the latter are connected and to ex haust fluid fromthe casing through their bores.

5. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, port-s at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, a rotor fitted in the said casing and having peripheral pocketsformed with faces to receive the impact of fluid entering the casingthrough its ports, abutments slidable in the chests and adapted to enterthe pockets in the rotor, rotary valves disposed to control the flow offiuid through the said passages, and each provided with a peripheralslot in communication with the atmosphere, the said valves beingarranged with rela-tion to the orifices of the respective passages,alternately to admit fluid to the ports with which the latter areconnected and to exhaust fluid from the casing through vtheir peripheralslots, means for converting the rotary movement of the rotor into anoscillatory movement of' the said valves, and means for reversing theposition of the latter with relation to the orifices of the respectivepassages.

6. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter, and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, a rotor fitted in the said casing and having peripheral pocketsformed with faces to receive the impact of fluid entering the casingthrough its ports, abutments slidable in the chests and adapted to enterthe pockets in the rotor, rotary valves disposed to control the flow offluid through the said passages, a gear wheel mounted to move 'in unisonwith the rotor, cranks connected with the valves, an oscillatory member,rods connecting the latter with the said cranks, a pinion in mesh withsaid gear-wheel and a driving connection between said pinion and saidmember.

7. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fiuid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said ports separate-ly with the saidinlet, a rotor fitted in the said casing and having peripheral pocketsformed with faces to receive the impact of fluid entering the casingthrough its ports, abut-ments slidable in the chests and adapted toenter the pockets in the rotor, rotary valves disposed to control theioW of fluid through the said passages, a gear wheel mounted to move inunison with the rotor, cranks connected with the valves, an oscillator fmember, rods connecting the latter at. two diametrically opposite pointsWith the said cranks, a pinion in mesh With said gear-wheel, and adriving connection between said pinion and said member.

, 8. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fluid,diametrically opposite abutment-chests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter, and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, a rotor fitted in the said casing and having peripheral pocketsformed With faces to receive the impact of fiuid entering the casingthrough its ports, abutments slidable in the chests and adapted to enterthe pockets in the rotor, rotary valves disposed to control the flow offluid through the said passages, a gearwheel mounted to move in unisonwith the rotor, cranks connected with the valves, an oscillatory member,longitudinally extensible rods connecting the latter with the saidcranks, a pinion in mesh with said gearwheel and a driving connectionbetween said pinion and said member.

9. In a rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive iuid,diametrically opposite abutment chests, ports at opposite side of thelatter, and passages connecting said ports separately7 with the saidinlet, a shaft rotatably mounted in said casing and protruding throughan opening in a side of the same, a rotor within said casing, mounted onthe shaft and having peripheral pockets formed with faces to receive theimpact of fluid entering the casing through its ports, abutmentsslidable in the said chests and adapted to enter the pockets of therotor, rotary valves disposed to control the flow of fluid through thesaid passages, a gear-wheel on the shaft, an oscillatory disk having asleeve loosely mounted upon the protruding portion of the shaft andprovided with an external screw thread, an internally recessed sleeveloosely surrounding the other and having a head adjustably connectedwith said disk, a bushing longitudinally movable in the recess of theouter sleeve and connected to rotate in unison with the same, the saidbushing having an internal thread meshing with the screw thread on theinner sleeve, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to saidbushing, a pinion in'mesh with the gear-wheel, a driving connectionbetween the pinion and the disk, cranks connected with the said valves,and rods connecting said cranks with the said head.

10. in a. rotary engine, a casing having an inlet for motive fluid,diametrically opposite abutmentchests, ports at opposite sides of thelatter and passages connecting said ports separately with the saidinlet, a shaft rotatably mounted in said casing and protruding throughan opening in a side of the same, a rotor within said casing mounted onthe shaft and having peripheral pockets formed with faces to receive theimpact of fluid entering the casing through its ports, abutmentsslidable in the said chests and adapted to enter the pockets of therotor, rotary valves disposed to control the flow of fluid'through thesaid passages, a gearwheel on the shaft, an oscillatory disk mounted onthe protruding portion of the shaft, a member adjustably connected withsaid disk, a pinion in mesh with the gearv wheel, a driving connectionbetween the said pinion and the disk, cranks connected with the valves,rods connecting the said cranks with the said member, and means forvarying the position of the latter on the disk.

ln testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

. VILLIAM L. RIPSOM.

Witnesses Gr. J. RoLLANDn'r, L. RHoADEs.

opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

